Chapter Eight : Friends

"You have an interesting collection," Mahone drops himself on a sofa, then lifts one of his legs over another.

Lynn glances at his book shelves.

"Thanks. It took time to collect them."

"Didn't know you were a history lover. What's your favorite book, then? The Satanist by Dennis Wheatley?" He gulps the wine, bottoms up. "Oh, no. I forgot that you're the hero. You wouldn't be the satan."

Lynn leans against the wall, watching his brother carefully. 

"What are you doing here, Mahone? Where did you get the cuts in your face? In a fight?"

"Ouch! That hurts," he reaches to the wine bottles again to pour some. "Assumed you would be glad to see me."

"Well, I am. Just surprised. Are you sure you should be drinking that much?"

Mahone chuckles, then extends his both hands around. "I'm fine and I know how much I can handle. Don't worry, brother."

"What about your school? Does Aunt Sicily know that you're here?" Lynn scowls.

"Whatever," he takes the glass, sipping.

"Your eyes are red. Stop drinking."

"And you stop acting like big brother," Mahone tells sharply. "Kidding. Oh, right! I just remembered a thing."

Lynn moves. "What thing?"

"I met Sam today. Was sleeping on your mountain." His mouth curves up, feeling glad. 

Lynn's heart starts to race at hearing her name. He sent her home after she had been unconscious, didn't know what else to do.

"How was she?" He asks worriedly. 

Mahone puts the glass down, then walks to him, slowly. "She was sleeping on the top, no one else was there. The sun was rising, the light fell on her face."

"What are you trying to say?"

He smiles coldly. "A single push. A single push and she could die, Lynn. Missing father, workaholic mother, break-up with boyfriend, memory loss and a secret society after her."

Lynn breathes deeply. 

"So local girl killed herself," he pinches fingers, staring at him with icy eyes. 

Lynn grabs his collar instantly. 

"If you even dare to think of hurting her," he whispers intimidatingly. "You'll suffer."

Mahone slowly, strongly removes his hands aside from his collar. "I'm joking, brother. And you're like, 'I will smash you, kill you!' Don't worry, I won't snatch your girl from you."

Lynn exhales. "Sorry."

Mahone tilts his head to him, frowning. "But you know what? She pissed me off. At first I thought she was a hot, delicious girl, but she proved my instinct wrong when she pushed me from the mountain."

"She pushed you?"

"Not only just that. She stole my moneybag and saw my driving license and showed me her hidden gun."

"Did you tell something to her?"

"Brother Lynn, I just said I wouldn't snatch her away from you," he groans impatiently, then stops inches from his face. "But I didn't say I wouldn't punish her for pushing me."

"Mahone, she didn't mean to..." Lynn walks after him, but he's already talking with his uncle at the door.

"Uncle Kramer! God, it has been so long. How have you been, huh?"

•••••••

September 2016

Samlin Greenham 

I just found them in the bleachers. Emilia, Jake, Lucas, Maria. My friends. 

And.....Edwin. Or Lynn? I don't know what to call him. What is he doing here with them?

But at first, let me introduce with my other friends. I was usually friendly with most students (except blockheads) in my school. But things have slightly changed after my father was being missed.

I met Lucas Parker when I was in elementary school. He's not fully American, his great-grandfather was Red Indian, so he's somehow still connected with them. He's funny, good looking and crazy to be an actor. He's also a very bad student and sometimes I have to tutor him (not free, of course).

Lucas was my second kiss, but after a year, he found he was gay. Didn't matter, really. 

  Maria Brandon-Greenham and I grew up together. She's my cousin, a month younger than me. Even if we grew up together, we were often quarreling. She's not someone who is easy to talk. I guess, her parents' divorce hurt her pretty much and made her behavior rough. Emilia is sweet to everyone, even to Maria. Four years ago, when I first met Lynn, for whatever reason, Em didn't like him that much, but Maria used to love hanging out with him.

I sigh.

"Hey, Stranger!" Lucas waves his both hands at me, grinning. "Long time no see."

"Hey." I say to everybody and reluctantly take a sit beside Lynn. "Really, Lu? I thought I saw you in the morning."

"I don't think so. When?" he shoves some chips in his mouth. 

"When you were looking for your crush's underpants. Remember?"

Emilia giggles, offering me a coke. "You didn't return my texts last night, Sam."

"Oh...I've not power on my phone yet." I lie and take a sip of coke and pull out the phone. I told her brother Charlie to do a thing for me.

She doesn't know that yet.

"I guess my Oesophagus is blocked." Lucas grips his neck, wide-eyed. 

Lynn hasn't looked at me yet, which I am hoping. Actually I'm slightly angry at him and embarrassed. He hands Lucas a bottle of water. "Drink some."

I still can't believe I kissed him in a lake two days ago. Why did I do that?

Jake looks absorbed in his book. Maria seems lost in her thoughts. 

"Where were you last night?" Em asks me in a low tone. "Your eyes are bloody red."

"I was....you know." I hesitate.

She knows. She knows where I go when I need to distract myself from pain.

"He's not coming back, Sam. It has been almost four years," she tells me softly. 

He already has, Em.

"I don't wanna talk about him."

"Did something happen?"

"Police of Belèm found a body near of the hotel. Where Dad was last seen. They are taking the skeleton for autopsy," I shrug. "Doesn't matter much, though. I don't believe it's true."

She pulls me for a hug. "I don't believe, too."

"What are you two whispering?" Jake finally looks up from his book. Such a nerd.

"You don't wanna know." Emilia gives him a playful smile, leaning towards him.

"I think I do," he replies. 

"Oh Lord!" Lucas rolls his eyes as two fried eggs. "Jake, they were talking about their experience!"

"What experience?" he looks confused. 

"Well, you know," Lu gulps. "When you do. I mean, when you do__stuff on a__ you already did__ maybe__"

"Shut up, Parker!" Maria snorts, "You guys are disgusting." Then she mutters something under her breath about couples. 

Em gives Jake a kiss in his cheek. "Are we disgusting, honey?"

He pats her cheek a little. "No, we aren't."

"Ugh!" Maria snorts again, then looks away. 

Lynn doesn't talk anything, eyeing us curiously with attention. My friends haven't recognized him yet, apparently how can they? He had a plastic surgery or wearing a mask. Or whatever the hell.

After giving Maria a intense glare, Lucas suddenly hisses. "Shhh! Here comes the football team. Look at them!"

I turn and my mind immediately becomes mad, when I see Michael's smirky face. 

"So what? They aren't gods, are they?" I frown. 

"Er__Lucas is having a crush on Michael," says Jake, wearing his spectacles. 

I turn to Lucas, a bit speechless. 

"Why him?" I demand to know. 

He puts his hand on his head and lets out a frustrated sigh. "I don't know. He's so hot."

I glare at Michael, who sits with his teammates. He catches my eye and winks. "

Damn you, Mikey," I murmur. 

"You should've done something to him. After he cheated on you." Maria tells and sips her energy drink. 

"Like what? Shitting on his head?"

She spits her drink after hearing me. Lynn covers a laugh beside me. He's new here, so he doesn't know about her temper. Maria didn't use to get so anger like this before, she changed. 

"So, Mr. Canadian," Maria turns to him. "Can I know what's so funny, please?"

He exhales. "Sam said something funny. You didn't laugh doesn't mean I couldn't laugh."

Now I laugh. This boy has some guts. There's is a lot of guys who don't like her. Her bad temper is the prime reason, I think. And I remember Maria used to like him, too.

"Is something up with you?" she looks at me with anger.

I take a deep breath. "There's always something going on with me, you know that."

"Yeah, I know. Lost boyfriend and father."

"Are you trying to pick a fight with me, Maria?" I ask her calmly. 

"No. I just wanted you to know that sometimes you're annoying."

Lucas whistles. "I guess we were talking about Michael."

"Screw you, Lu." Me and Maria say in unison.

I don't get the fact why Maria dislikes me that much. She's been disliking me since our childhood. Maybe I'm getting used to it.

Jake gives us a worried expression. Emilia says nothing, because she knows us. Lynn is typing on his phone, like it's a life-depending competition. Maria is sipping her drink, quiet. Lucas mouths to me, "Sorry!"

I glance at my schedule. Now, it's time for my swimming lesson. I let out a breath glumly and stand up briskly.

"I have swimming class. Bye, guys."

Jake pulls out a pair of goggles from his bag. "Wait, Sam. Are these yours?"

I stare at them for a while. There's a white letter written on them, 'S'. "Looks like mine. What were they doing in your bag?" I raise an eyebrow. 

Jake laughs. "I found them beside the pool. You left yesterday in a hurry....so I took them." 

"Thank you, Jake." I give him a genuine smile and take them. I can't deny the fact that he still cares about me. I can tell that from his touch. His hand lingers with mine for a little longer. He's gazing at me with....hurt?

Once he told me, 

"You don't know how much it hurts when you love someone, but she doesn't love you back."

"I'm sorry, Jack," I whisper. 

I glance at Emilia, she didn't notice. Then she looks at me. 

"Sam, are you free tonight?" Em asks. 

"Maybe. Why?" 

"We can hang out tonight. Girls night."

"Sure. I'll text you. Bye."